$50/hr is very low, but it doesn't mean that Zuki is a sellout.

I support my family doing this, and the bottom line is important.

I have one NH 7.5 miles away that I do for $100 for 55 minutes. They hire me every single Monday morning. I just raised the rate $5 yesterday to $105. I've been doing this place for about 9 years, and I have been bumping up the price to keep up with inflation. I will probably ask for another $5 next March.

I have another NH 15 minutes away that I go to one morning a month for $100. I play for an Alzheimer's unit where they would never have music unless it was cheap. They have me there three afternoons a year, and I charge $150. Plus I get $300 for a 1.5 hr Xmas party.

I feel bad that I am locked into a lot of contracts that I negotiated last year. I'm going to be spending at least $1000 more on gas just for my car. Plus I pay for my wife's gas.

Plus everything else is going up! We're a family of three, and our last Sam's Club grocery bill was over $200! My health insurance went up 13%.

I am definitely raising rates. You have to. I probably cannot even afford to raise them enough to absorb all of the inflationary pressures going on. All I can do is be more discriminating about long distance gigs, and to target higher paying venues.

To those folks in Europe who pay $10 a gallon for gas. That sucks, but you also get free medical, cheap universities, and paid maternity leave and longer vacations. I feel blessed to be here in the good old USA, but some of the perks you Western Europeans get make me jealous.

Beakybird